Strawberries and Tangerines
by tangerine kisses
Summary: Her lips forming into a cute pout, he suddenly wanted to press his lips against hers. Wait! Did he just think that'What am I thinking' "urusai , polka dots" he retorted, her current expression turned into a hard glare.


**Summary [slip clip:**

Her lips forming into a cute pout, he suddenly wanted to press his lips against hers. Wait!

Did he just think that['What am I thinking?!!' "urusai , polka dots" he retorted, her current expression turned into a hard glare.

**Strawberries and Tangerines**

**By: tangerine kisses**

**Disclaimer: I don't own gakuen alice… Higuchi Tachibana owns it…**

He clutched the wire fencing tighter, as his body curved down from the pain. His breaths came ragged and uncontrolled the pain was unbearable. His knees felt like jelly it was any second before he buckled up. Sweat was trickling down his face as his eyes squinted in agony.

He fell on his knees and leaned on the rusted barrier.

The sun was now setting, the colorful hue, bathing everything in its presence. It gleamed brightly as the nearing dark sky engulfed the warm radiance it was emitting.

His usual smirk was wiped off his face, and replaced by an agonizing expression.

His pants slowed done, but the pain his Alice was emitting didn't subside.

His crimson eyes were hurtful and angry.

He had been retiring to missions longer than the usual. And his Alice was eating him away.

He could here shouts coming from down below, calling for him. He winced as he heard the annoying voice the once loathed.

"natsume! Doko ni iku?! Mou… natsume!" a noisy brunette called as she whirled around he crowds

'that idiot' he grimaced, he was actually glad, deep inside that she was looking for him.

She was worried.

Though the pain he felt was enormously spreading through his body he managed a small smile as he started to stand up.

Standing still, he could see the sun setting towards the horizon, the green luscious tree's swaying with the parallel wind, Students filling in and out of their dormitories, and the birds, flying towards the endless sky,

having their freedom to go where they want to go.

freedom to be with who they want to be.

Freedom to choose their destiny's, where ever it may lead them…

He watched, as the birds flew out side the borders of their prison school.

Soaring, away…

Flying, relentlessly…

Somehow, he wished to be like a bird.

Free from world…

Tearing his eyes from the captivating scenery, he stopped himself from dreaming.

He knew dreaming would only result to regret. And regret to desperation. He didn't want to feel desperate, desperate to be free.

Desperate of dreaming.

Desperate of love and comfort.

'NO!'

he didn't want to think of those retaliating feelings, feelings he had kept hidden masked away.

As if it was by gods will, a certain brunette came flashing in his mind.

Her smiles, her laughter.

Her cheerfulness, and her tears…

After years of hiding, it only took her a day, a hour, a minute, a second to pull him out of the darkness.

Her simple words, and her simple presence. And here he was thinking of her again.

'what the hell is wrong with me?'

He shrugged of his thoughts, regaining his usual lazy stance, just as his outstretched hand touched the rusty knob the lock clicked and the door knob slowly twisted open.

Revealing a tall brunette, her tresses falling messily down below her shoulders, the curls tangled and untangled. Her brown pools shaded with worry, and irritation.

Her lips in a straight smile, eyelashes were all the same, long as it usually looked like. Her shirt was tucked out, lines visible. Her red checkered skirt had bits and pieces of leaves and wood. Her socks dirty white, probably because of tripping or falling. Her black shoes were dirty with slight mud and dust.

And all this he noticed everyday, everyday he would take hold of her appearance. Guessing, knowing, as he take notice of the her.

"natsume! I've been looking all over for you! Mou…! You shouldn't take off just like that…!" she pouted, her eyes reflecting her concern for him.

Her lips forming into a cute pout, he suddenly wanted to press his lips against hers.

Wait!

Did he just think that?!

'what am I thinking?!!'

"urusai , polka dots" he retorted, her current expression turned into a hard glare.

"don't call me polka dots!" she retorted back, as she delivered a slight punch to his right shoulder.

His reflexes betrayed him and he failed to evade. As the punch came colliding unto his shoulders he couldn't help but wince.

Pain moved through out his weakened body, as his hand shot up to grip his bruised shoulder. He wondered if she noticed, of course she would, this was mikan sakura were talking about.

As pain crossed his fined features, he let out a slight wince. Her eyes widened round, as she exclaimed aloud. Him staggering forward.

"NATSUME!"

She caught him mid way before he touched the solid ground, the pain tripled as he tried to ignore it.

"ar-ghh…"

"natsume?! Shikaristte,[hold on natsume!"

She bought her arm to his good shoulder and another hand to his waist.

"your too loud, polka" he still retorted

He was in pain but it didn't hinder him from annoying the hell out of her. But somehow, this time it didn't seem to work.

Her brown pools filled with concern, round and wide. She was really worried, it wasn't pretending. She supported him, while they took a seat on the cold floor, she leaned his back to the breeched wall.

"natsume?, is your Alice hurting again...?" she quietly asked.

Her voice turning into a silent whisper. And all the same, he dreaded to answer her, out of all people, it was her that mattered to him the most.

He stopped himself from opening up to her.

Restrained himself from asking for her help, when it was her he most needed.

Avoided her, even when he wanted to be with her.

Pushed her away, when it was her warmth, her words, her presence that could save him from his own darkness.

Just so she wouldn't be hurt,

Just so he could protect her from harm,

Just so she stayed away from his darkness…

From him…

"this has nothing to do with you…" he angrily retorted,

"go away... leave me alone…"

By now pain was again filling his weakened body, and hurt filled his broken heart.

Naze?

Why did he have to turn away from his only light?

Why did he have to turn away from her?

He started panting again, his breath more ragged than before. He tried to hush his agonizing sighs, but it wouldn't do.

He was physically and emotionally broken, in and out. his limbs felt like lead, his arms throbbing slightly, he sensed movement from her, and he half-expected her to be gone and going by now.

But then it seemed he was wrong.

He stiffened, warm arms enveloping his broken self. soft skin touching with his. Sweet strawberries barred his smells.

"don't worry, I'll protect you…" he heard her whisper behind his ear, as her tresses brushed his face.

"natsume, I'll protect you, dakara [that's why, subete yo daijoubu desu… [everything going to be alright"

Time suddenly halted.

The pain slowly subsided back, replaced by a tingling feeling inside his broken heart.

He felt her body, so close to his, heat to heat.

He dared not to move. Feeling that if he did, everything would shatter, and he'd realized this was all a dream, a misunderstanding.

But it wasn't. it was real, it wasn't hope, it wasn't faith.

It was reality…

He buried his head on the crook of her neck, which was covered by her tresses. He felt her shift a bit, as he returned the inclined hug.

She fitted so perfectly in his arms, and he to hers.

As the sun reached its lowest zenith, birds flew back to take cover in the forest, the trees calmed down as the wind parallelized. The sun bathed the whole world in its fading moment in strange hues of red. The silent dark sky, slowly spread through out the looming horizon, a bright new moon hanged it self together with sparkling white stars.

Twinkling beneath them, a star suddenly passed through the dark night sky. the wind grew cold and her skirt and tresses flew in the open.

But fate didn't stop there, she had to dramatize her masterpiece.

He heard a silent giggling come from the brunette.

"natsume, you smell like tangerines…"

He brushed her away and raised an eyebrow mischievously.

"yeah, and your wearing strawberry prints today, polka."

Her eyes widened saucer plates, as she stared at him unbelievably.

"natsume no HENTAI!!!!"

And she screamed all through the night…

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**-owari**

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**Minna-san!!! O genki yo?? **

**Hehehe, i tried to mix comedy with drama demo I wasn't good at comedies…. Nyahahah**

**Anyway this is kinda farfetched compared to the first one I created. Based on natsume's hidden feelings, him hiding behind his cool arrogant mask. Hope you understand natsume, due to his taboo'd past… , **

**Anyway, arigatou for reading my fanfic again!! This is currently my 2nd fanfic and 2one-shot… Hehe, I recently realized that I found inspiration in writing, when I was currently reading natsume-mikan fics. There are pretty good authors all through out the world, and there seems to be a bunch in this section! **

**Well, arigatou again, hope we'll see each other next time**

**-tangerine kisses-**

**Ja!!! **


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